‘Extremely complex’ plant installation at ‘supercentre'

The creation of a highly advanced decontamination ‘supercentre’ for the Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust on a standalone site in Enfield, which is not only enabling the Trust to decontaminate and sterilise surgical instruments from its three main hospitals – Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, and The Royal Free Hospital – considerably more efficiently under one roof, but also to take on such work from other NHS Trusts, required an extremely complex plant installation, masterminded and undertaken by construction and engineering services specialist, CFES. HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, visited the site to see the decontamination facility and the two above-ground plant room floors, and to hear about the challenges involved, from CFES Projects director, John Davies.

As reported in an article by the editor of HEJ’s sister title, The Clinical Services Journal, Louise Frampton, which appeared in the May 2020 HEJ, to create the decontamination supercentre – which has the capacity to reprocess 20 million instruments and 130,000 endoscopes annually – The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust partnered with construction, FM, and engineering services provider, CFES, as principal contractor, and Getinge. The latter supplied and installed the decontamination and sterilisation equipment as a key subcontractor within the CFES supply chain. This included seven of Getinge’s 86-series washer-disinfectors for the washroom. Services and space have been allocated for a further four, to allow the Trust to ramp up capacity, and there are two transfer hatches and ample space for operators, with 26 workstations available. A centralised dosing unit for liquid chemicals has also been installed to enhance staff safety and improve efficiency. Getinge has also installed six HS69 28 ft3 pass-through sterilisers for the inspection and packing cleanroom. Once again, extra capacity has been planned, with services and space provided for a further two autoclaves.

For the endoscope reprocessing unit, meanwhile, Getinge supplied and installed six ED-Flow endoscope washer-disinfectors (EWDs), giving the site the capacity to reprocess up to 12 large flexible endoscopes in a 23- minute full cycle. These machines also benefit from a quick and efficient loading process. Provision has been made for a further two EWDs if required, while seven drying cabinets complete the installation.